


The Makings of Greatness

by Flashfight



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Treasure Planet Fusion, F/M, Fem!Barry - Freeform, FlashWave Week 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-10
Updated: 2017-02-10
Packaged: 2018-09-23 06:46:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9644987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flashfight/pseuds/Flashfight
Summary: Barry, reeling from the near-loss of her shipmate and friend, Leonard, is approached by the ship's suspicious cook, Mick Rory.*Treasure Planet AU*





	

**Author's Note:**

> Firstly, if you haven't seen this movie, I certainly suggest it! It's a wonderful piece of Disney animation!  
> Secondly, if you've seen my other fics you've probably noticed that I am cheesy and overly dramatic in my writing. This has yet to change (fair warning), and I honestly think this the pinnacle of cheese for me.  
> As always, I hope you enjoy, and let me know if there are any errors!

The ship sailed silently through the frigid expanse of space before them. Even the usual sounds of crew members scurrying about were absent as they recovered from just barely escaping the black hole. Few remained on deck that night, only the necessary hands, save one woman perched atop the shrouds of the vessel. Barry played absentmindedly with a length of rope, knotting and unknotting it as she stared into the vastness.

It was her fault. That was all she could think about. It had been _her_ job to secure the lifelines. When First Mate Leonard Snart’s line came loose, Barry shot off like a rocket, racing to grab his tether before he was lost forever. They’d spent the better part of two months together, aiding his sister, Captain Lisa, and decoding the map sphere. To lose would him would have been a tragedy so great she could barely comprehend it. It took the combined strength of her and four other crew members to drag him back on board, the black hole’s gravity grasping at Leonard all the while. And although it failed to take his life, the terror didn’t let Leonard go without a tribute. His left arm was sheared off by passing debris..

The steady whir of machinery announced the arrival Mick Rory long before Barry saw him. The cyborg was her mentor, and if she was being especially optimistic, her friend. The more time she spent with him, the more she wondered if this really was the man the Wests warned her about. Rory was gruff, sure, and any part of him that wasn’t metal was scarred, but he wasn’t the vicious, pirating fiend that was described. Rory leaned heavily on the railing, the gears in his arm groaning.

“...Wasn’t your fault, ya know. Len... Hell, half the crew’d be stuck out there in that abyss if you hadn’t-” Barry grimaced at his words. Pity and empty words, was that really what he was going with? At least Captain Lisa was straight-forward with her condemnation. Tossing her rope out to space, Barry lept from the shroud and landed right on the railing next to Rory before hopping onto the deck. 

“Look! Don’t you get it?!” She could hear her voice cracking. “I screwed up! I mean, I thought for two seconds that maybe I could do something _right_ , but-” A tortured cry escaped her throat as she tried to march off, only managing a few steps before leaning on the mast became all her body was capable of. “I just...” Barry dragged a hand through her hair, breathed deeply ( _In and out, just like Daddy’s doing, you’re okay sweetheart._ ), anything to draw attention away from the pain threatening to tear its way out of her chest. “Just, forget it, forget it.”

Suddenly, a burned hand clamped down on Barry’s shoulder. Rory had turned her to face him now, brow furrowed the way it did when he was expending great effort. “Listen up, _Forbearance Allen_ , ‘cause I’m only sayin’ this once. I’ve seen what you can do. Seen ya sail in a comet’s tail and chartin’ new systems just by the shadows on their stars.” An awed and wild grin slowly found its way onto his face. It was as if he was seeing her for the first time again, only now instead of a naive, gangly child that would only get in his way, Rory saw a proud young woman. Still naive in many ways, but with quick reflexes, a quicker wit, and a desire to _know_ that so thoroughly enveloped her being, it pushed her to overcome any deficiency she had just to see the next star out. Each word had an air of honest admiration that he’d only ever saved for the Snarts.

“You’ve got the makings of greatness in ya. You’ve already proven it to everyone but yourself. One of these days you’re gonna be on a ship, far out at the edge of the universe. And when ya look back at where ya came from you’ll realize that all it took to getcha there was what ya already had in ya. And when you’re out there showin’ everyone what you’re _really_ made of, well...” The cyborg’s eyes glimmered as he turned them heavenward, “I wanna be there, catchin’ some of the light comin’ off ya.” When Mick returned his gaze to her, Barry could see the way his good eye crinkled when he smiled. “You’ve done more than enough, Barry Allen, but I know you’re gonna do more.”

It was all just… too much. Too much to feel, too much to think. The young cosmologist could barely stand as weariness seeped into her bones to replace the guilt that had previously resided there. She collapsed into Mick, letting loose the tears that had been threatening to fall for the entire evening. For his part, though he was hesitant, Mick held her close as she cried. It was only a moment, and that was all Barry could ask for.

“S’alright, doll, s’alright.” Barry’s slight frame was enveloped by Mick’s sheer size and large overcoat. The coat smelled of smoke and spices, side effect of being the ship’s cook. And tiny as she was, Barry seemed to fit perfectly in Mick’s arms, like she was always supposed to be there. Truly, there was no place either would rather be in that moment. Which was exactly why Mick had to end it. He pulled the girl off gently, pushing her towards the crew’s quarters.

“Okay, kid. I got watch, and you oughta sleep. You’ll be gettin’ up early tomorrow ta help me peel purps for breakfast. Go on, hop to it.” Barry dragged her feet, both out tiredness and a desire to stay on the deck with Mick and with the stars she loved so much. With one last shy smile, she disappeared below deck. Mick gave a small wave, already frowning at his new revelation.

“Gettin’ in too deep, Ray. Ain’t a big fan of this ‘feeling’ thing.” His human hand rested over his heart. Its steady (but not too steady) beat reminded him that there were some parts of his humanity that couldn’t be cut or burned away, no matter how mch he wished they could. The small pink glob on his shoulder mimicked his words. _In too deep. In too deep._ “Shut up, Ray.”


End file.
